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Original poster

Does a low starting price put you off as a buyer?

34 replies

Pannacotta · 12/03/2008 17:46

I need to sell a few bits before we move, poss including a double buggy which should sell for around £200 having looked at completed auctions.
I was thinking of starting the auctions very low to save on listing fees, so starting at say 4.99 max and setting a reserve for anything which I wouldn't be happy to sell for that price.
Does this put you off as a buyer?
What would/do you do?
Thanks

OP posts:
Marne · 12/03/2008 17:52

I would put the pushchair on 'buy it now', look at compleated listings to see how much they have sold for.

If i was looking for a pushchair i would rather buy it on a 'buy it now' only because i hate getting outbid at the last minute.

YouKnowNothingOfTheCrunch · 12/03/2008 17:54

Reserves do put me off - makes me feel a bit like "Well why didn't you start it at that price ".

If you def want a certain price Buy it now is a good option - perhaps have a "best offer" option as well.

annemarie29 · 12/03/2008 17:56

it wouldn't put me off as a buyer. as a seller i started with low start bid and got a lot of interest but i stupidly didn't put reserve on the item so lost out a little so highly recommend reserve!

pelafina · 12/03/2008 17:56

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pelafina · 12/03/2008 17:57

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WiiMii · 12/03/2008 17:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Pannacotta · 12/03/2008 19:31

WiiMii that sounds quite daring!

DO you find that your items sell well then, even with 99 opening price?

Am sure there will be lots of interest in my double buggy but am bit nervous of starting it at 99p and no reserve and then it not making as much as I'd hope...

OP posts:
southeastastra · 12/03/2008 19:31

not as a buyer, definitely as a seller though.

PortAndLemon · 12/03/2008 19:44

I'm not put off by low starting prices but am put off by reserves.

scottishmummy · 12/03/2008 20:00

low start ok.i do set reserve so it does not go for silly money, but will tell reserve if asked. i had item on with reserve 1st week did not sell, following week went for £50 over reserve.

MiniEggsMmm · 12/03/2008 20:10

Do people put a low starting price on their item then log in with a different account and bid higher so the price goes up for their own item?

PortAndLemon · 12/03/2008 20:11

They can and sometimes do, but it's strictly against eBay rules (it's called shilling) and can result in getting banned if you get caught (and would-be buyers are quick to report anyone they suspect is shilling).

MiniEggsMmm · 12/03/2008 20:12

How would you know though if they were shilling? That's awful but i suspect it does go on.

WiiMii · 12/03/2008 20:15

This reply has been deleted

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PortAndLemon · 12/03/2008 20:22

There was a case recently that a MNetter spotted where the suspiciously high bidder only ever appeared to bid on items from one seller, and if you looked at her expensive-items-but-started-low-with-no-reserve auctions he tended to turn up with a high bid. You can't really know if someone does it once or twice, but if there's a pattern there over a number of auctions you can be mightily suspicious...

PortAndLemon · 12/03/2008 20:24

See that thread here.

scottishmummy · 12/03/2008 20:42

didnt know that kind of sheenanigans went on!V Sneaky

Original poster
Pannacotta · 12/03/2008 21:04

I would never get involved in anything like that, far too dodgy!
Thanks for all the replies, am thinking the same as you scottishmummy, low start price plus reserve which I'd be happy to disclose, re the buggy, have just bought new covers for the Phil and Teds so really dont want it to go for too litte.
But not sure if I am being too cautious and should be brave like WiiMii.......

OP posts:
WiiMii · 12/03/2008 21:05

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
Pannacotta · 12/03/2008 21:15

WiiMii I don't think you are stupid at all, quite the opposite, it just takes some nerve to do that.
Will see how brave I am when it comes to do the listing!
Can I ask what sort of things you sell, is there a pattern do you think/does it vary depending on the item?
Have never sold anything of much value other than some pairs of too small designer jeans, and some sold well some didnt, for no obvious reason.

OP posts:
WiiMii · 12/03/2008 21:20

This reply has been deleted

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Original poster
Pannacotta · 12/03/2008 21:21

Thanks, will bear that in mind.

OP posts:
PixelHerder · 12/03/2008 21:23

What brand of pram is it? There are certain ones which will nearly always fetch a fair market value as they are are so popular (eg Bugaboo, Mountain Buggy), so not much risk attached to a 99p starting value.

Having said that I prefer Buy It Now both as buyer and seller, just make sure you do your research as to what is an achievable price.

Original poster
Pannacotta · 12/03/2008 21:30

Its a double Phil and Teds E3 (with new covers so looks fresh) so should sell well.
Have had a quick look and they seem to do well even though the E3 isn't the latest model.

OP posts:
PixelHerder · 12/03/2008 21:33

ah just noticed you mentioned Phil and Teds, I don't have personal experience of selling those but would guess that they hold their value well - check the completed sales to see.

If you do go down the Buy It Now route, you can put it on for eg 10 days, and if by day 8 it's not selling, you can drop the price or add a Best Offer option.

Include a few good photos and describe it well, making sure to note its good points and any new bits!